Montana Sword Laws

A katana on a wall in Bozeman, a longsword in a Helena study, a fantasy claymore in a Missoula apartment. Montana sword laws spent the 2017 and 2019 legislative sessions methodically dismantling their restrictions. First the 2017 reform removed knives entirely from the concealed weapons framework. Then the 2019 reform added statewide knife preemption. The combined effect placed Montana sword laws firmly in the most permissive tier of any state in the country for sword collectors.

Montana sword laws live in Title 45, Chapter 8 of the Montana Code Annotated. The central provisions are MCA 45-8-315 (definition of concealed weapon, now firearm-only), 45-8-316 (carrying concealed firearms), 45-8-352 (restriction on local government regulation of knives), 45-8-361 (weapons in school buildings), 45-2-101 (general weapon definition), and 45-8-317 (exceptions). HB 251 (2017) was the central concealed-carry reform, and HB 155 (2019) added the preemption framework. This guide walks through what current Montana sword laws say.

What do Montana sword laws actually say?

MCA 45-8-315, as amended by HB 251 (2017), now defines "concealed weapon" to mean "a firearm." The prior version of the statute extended to dirks, daggers, swords, sword canes, knives with blades 4 inches or longer, straight razors, and other deadly weapons. The 2017 amendment removed all non-firearm weapons from the concealed weapons definition. MCA 45-8-316, the corresponding carry offense, is now titled "Carrying concealed firearms" and applies exclusively to firearms.

The practical effect is that any knife or sword may be carried openly or concealed in Montana without a permit, without registration, and without a documentation requirement. Concealed carry of swords is no longer an issue under Montana sword laws. The American Knife and Tool Institute summarized the change as making "Montana a very knife friendly state." For sword collectors, Montana sword laws form among the cleanest framework in the country, and the framework holds uniform across Montana sword laws state-wide after the 2019 preemption add-on.

Is it legal to own a sword in Montana?

Yes. Montana sword laws do not restrict the ownership of any knife or sword. Katanas, longswords, sabers, machetes, rapiers, kukris, claymores, sword canes, and fantasy replicas can all be purchased and kept in a private residence without a permit, registration, or background check. There is no blade-length cap for ownership, no inventory limit, and no list of generally prohibited sword types at the state level.

Switchblades, automatic knives, butterfly knives, gravity knives, dirks, daggers, stilettos, bowie knives, ballistic knives, throwing stars, and double-edged blades are all legal to own in Montana. The 2019 HB 155 reform also removed the prior restriction on automatic knives with blades under 1.5 inches, fully legalizing switchblades and similar items. Sword canes, formerly prohibited as concealed weapons, are now legal under Montana sword laws to own and carry openly or concealed, and Montana sword laws have no remaining ownership categories at the state level.

How does the 2019 statewide knife preemption work?

HB 155, effective April 3, 2019, added MCA 45-8-352, which provides that "a local government may not enact or enforce an ordinance, rule, or regulation that restricts or prohibits the ownership, use, possession, or sale of any type of knife that is not specifically prohibited by state law." The preemption is comprehensive: local governments may restrict knives only on property they lease or own. They cannot enact citywide blade-length caps, concealed-carry rules, or category bans beyond what state law allows.

The preemption took effect alongside the removal of automatic knife restrictions and the broader 2019 reform package. The combined effect was to ensure that the permissive 2017 framework would not be eroded by local municipalities. For sword collectors moving across Montana, the framework provides uniform rules from Billings to Kalispell. Any older municipal ordinance that imposed knife restrictions inconsistent with state law became unenforceable as of April 3, 2019. Montana sword laws now apply uniformly across all 56 counties.

Montana went from a moderately restrictive blade framework to the most permissive in the country in two legislative sessions. The 2017 and 2019 reforms together cleared everything in their path.

What about schools and other restricted locations?

MCA 45-8-361 is the only state-level location restriction that remains under Montana sword laws. The statute prohibits possession of certain weapons in "school buildings," defined as all buildings owned or leased by a local school district that are used for instruction or for student activities. MCA 45-8-361(b) defines "weapon" for school-building purposes as "any type of firearm, a knife with a blade 4 or more inches in length, a sword, a straight razor, a throwing star, nun-chucks, or brass or other metal knuckles."

Penalty is a fine not exceeding $500, jail not exceeding 6 months, or both. Higher penalties apply for previous offenders (up to 5 years state prison and $1,000 fine for repeat violations). The school-building restriction is the only state-level location ban that explicitly names swords. Other potentially restricted locations include:

• School buildings under MCA 45-8-361 (only location specifically restricting swords)
• Courthouses and courtrooms (typical local rules and judicial branch orders)
• Detention facilities and jails
• Federal buildings (governed by federal law)
• Secure areas of airports past TSA screening
• Aircraft regardless of carrier
• Government buildings on property leased or owned by local government (45-8-352 carve-out)
• Private property where the owner has banned weapons

How should collectors transport swords across Montana?

Transport in Montana under current Montana sword laws is among the simplest in the country. A sword in a hard case in the trunk, a katana in original packaging, a sheathed longsword in the back seat, a blade openly carried on a back-mounted scabbard, or a concealed sword inside a coat are all lawful. The 2017 reform removed concealed carry of knives as an offense entirely. Statewide knife preemption under MCA 45-8-352 ensures the same rules apply in every city and county across Montana.

The only practical adjustment for collectors is the school building restriction under MCA 45-8-361. Avoid the perimeter of K-12 schools and any building owned or leased by a school district. For collectors heading to knife shows, dojos, conventions, hunting trips, or simply moving across the state, Montana sword laws give one of the cleanest carry frameworks in the nation. Treat MCA 45-8-361 as the single hard limit and the rest of Montana sword laws as effectively unrestricted.

The bottom line on owning and carrying swords in Montana

Montana sword laws sit at the top of the permissive tier of the national spectrum. Ownership is unrestricted. Open carry is unrestricted. Concealed carry is unrestricted with no permit requirement after the 2017 reform. Statewide knife preemption under MCA 45-8-352 keeps local ordinances from eroding the framework. The single state-level restriction is the school-building rule under MCA 45-8-361, which prohibits knives with blades 4+ inches, swords, and straight razors in school buildings.

For anyone building a sword collection in Montana, the practical takeaway is short. Buy what you want, carry openly or concealed as preferred, drive across the state without worrying about local ordinances, stay clear of school buildings entirely, and remember that the framework gives one of the cleanest carry positions in the country. The state framework treats adult collectors with full trust and reserves enforcement for schools alone at the state level.

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